U.S. patent number 4,884,698 [Application Number 06/874,131] was granted by the patent office on 1989-12-05 for apparatus for handling sheets of paper.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Hitachi, Ltd.. Invention is credited to Yoshiaki Karino, Yasuo Shiragai, Hirotaka Tutamune, Yasuyuki Wakasa.
United States Patent |
4,884,698 |
Tutamune , et al. |
December 5, 1989 |
Apparatus for handling sheets of paper
Abstract
A conveying device is provided among an accommodating section
for accommodating sheets of paper, a counting section for
discriminating and counting the sheets of paper, and a port section
through which the sheets of paper are put in and taken out of the
apparatus, so as to deliver the sheets of paper to any of these
components according to a transaction specified between discharge
and deposit accepting transactions.
Inventors: |
Tutamune; Hirotaka (Niigata,
JP), Shiragai; Yasuo (Niigata, JP), Karino;
Yoshiaki (Niigata, JP), Wakasa; Yasuyuki
(Niigata, JP) |
Assignee: |
Hitachi, Ltd. (Tokyo,
JP)
|
Family
ID: |
27316004 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/874,131 |
Filed: |
June 13, 1986 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Jun 17, 1985 [JP] |
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60-129822 |
Jul 5, 1985 [JP] |
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60-146505 |
Sep 10, 1985 [JP] |
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60-198433 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
209/534; 209/551;
902/12; 235/379 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07D
11/16 (20190101); G07D 11/14 (20190101) |
Current International
Class: |
G07D
11/00 (20060101); B07C 005/38 (); G07D
007/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;209/539,551
;194/205-207 ;235/379 ;271/3,3.1,4,9,157-159,163,296,302 ;364/478
;377/8 ;414/37,114,120,226 ;901/6,7 ;902/12,13 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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2313294 |
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Dec 1976 |
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FR |
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55-66453 |
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May 1980 |
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JP |
|
56-63664 |
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May 1981 |
|
JP |
|
56-83875 |
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Jul 1981 |
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JP |
|
56-147258 |
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Nov 1981 |
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JP |
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57-75371 |
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May 1982 |
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JP |
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59-33590 |
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Feb 1984 |
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JP |
|
59-33757 |
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Feb 1984 |
|
JP |
|
59-08685 |
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Nov 1984 |
|
JP |
|
60-209870 |
|
Oct 1985 |
|
JP |
|
Primary Examiner: Cherry; Johnny D.
Assistant Examiner: Wacyra; Edward M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Fay, Sharpe, Beall, Fagan, Minnich
& McKee
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
a single port providing a first terminus permitting customers
during a deposit transaction to put sheets of paper into and during
a dispensing transaction to remove sheets of paper from said
apparatus;
accommodating means including a second terminus, for accommodating
storage of sheets of paper between transactions and for
accommodating passage of sheets of paper at said second terminus
during said transactions;
single counting means accessible to sheets of paper from both said
port and said accommodating means and providing a third terminus
receiving and storing sheets of paper and other termini storing
sheets of paper, for counting, discriminating between sheets of
paper and dividing said sheets of paper among said other termini on
the basis of said discriminating into sheets of paper to be dealt
with and sheets of paper not to be dealt with, during both deposit
and dispensing transactions; and conveying means for distributing
sheets of paper en bloc among said port, accommodating means and
counting means during both deposit and dispensing transactions,
said second, third and other termini being arranged in a vertical
row along a path of travel by said conveying means to enable said
conveying means to obtain sheets of paper at said termini and to
distribute sheets of paper en bloc among said accommodating means
and counting means as said conveying means travels along the
path;
wherein said conveying means moves sheets of paper between said
port and said accommodating means via said counting means and
between said accommodating means and said port via said counting
means according to the type of transaction.
2. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to claim 1,
wherein said conveying means includes:
a hand section for retaining en bloc said sheets of paper and for
delivering sheets of paper among said port, counting means and
accommodating means via said first, second, third and other
termini; and
a transferring section for transferring said hand section to any of
said port, counting means and accommodating means.
3. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to claim 2,
wherein in a dispensing transaction said hand section is adapted to
take out en bloc from said accommodating means a number of sheets
of paper which is larger than a maximum number of sheets of paper
previously discharged in a single dispensing transaction.
4. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to claim 2,
wherein in a dispensing transaction said hand section is adapted to
take out en bloc from said accommodating means a number of sheets
of paper which is larger than an average of a number of sheets of
paper discharged during previous dispensing transactions.
5. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to claim 2,
wherein in a dispensing transaction said hand section is adapted to
take out en bloc from said accommodating means a number of sheets
of paper which is larger than a number specified by a customer
6. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to claim 1,
wherein said counting means includes:
a receiving section including said third terminus, for accepting
the sheets of paper delivered by said conveying means;
a conveying passage through which the sheets of paper accepted by
said receiving section are conveyed one by one;
a counting section for discriminating the sheets of paper conveyed
through said conveying passage into those to be dealt with and
those not to be dealt with and for counting said sheets of paper to
be dealt with; and
a plurality of stack sections including said other termini, for
temporarily retaining separately said sheets of paper to be dealt
with and not to be dealt with such that each type of said sheets of
paper is separately taken en bloc from said stack sections and
delivered by said conveying means.
7. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to claim 1,
wherein said port, said counting means, said accommodating means
and said conveying means are separately formed, and said sheets of
paper are distributed through the intermediary of said conveying
means among said port, counting means and accommodating means.
8. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
an accommodating section for accommodating sheets of paper between
deposit and discharging transactions;
a counting section for discriminating and counting said sheets of
paper and for dividing said sheets of paper between those to be
dealt with and those not to be dealt with during both deposit and
discharging transactions;
a single orifice forming a port section through which said sheets
of paper are put in and taken out of said apparatus during
respective ones of deposit and discharging transactions;
a conveying section for taking out said sheets of paper from said
accommodating section and delivering the same to said counting
section in a discharging transaction, as well as for taking out
said sheets of paper from said port section and delivering the same
to said counting section in a deposit transaction, for during a
deposit transaction, transporting en bloc said sheets of paper not
to be dealt with from said counting section to said orifice and
separately transporting en bloc said sheets of paper to be dealt
with from said counting section to one of said accommodating
section and said orifice, and for during a discharging transaction,
transporting en bloc said sheets of paper to be dealt with from
said counting section to said orifice and separately transporting
en bloc said sheets of paper not to be dealt with from said
counting section to said accommodating section during a discharging
transaction;
a control section for controlling said counting section, and said
conveying section according to a predetermined program;
wherein said conveying section includes a hand portion for grasping
and releasing en bloc said sheets of paper at predetermined
positions relative to said sections, and a transferring portion for
transferring said hand portion to the predetermined positions, said
hand portion taking out en bloc in the discharging transaction a
suitable number of said sheets of paper from said accommodating
section.
9. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to claim 8,
wherein in a discharging transaction said hand portion is adapted
to take out said sheets of paper from said accommodating section in
a number which is larger than a maximum discharged number of sheets
of paper previously discharged in a single discharging
transaction.
10. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to claim 8,
wherein in a discharging transaction said hand portion is adapted
to take out en bloc said sheets of paper from said accommodating
section in a number which is larger than an overage of a number of
sheets of paper discharged in previous discharging
transactions.
11. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to claim 8,
wherein in a discharging transaction said hand portion is adapted
to take out en bloc said sheets of paper from said accommodating
section in a number which is larger than a number specified by a
customer.
12. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to claim 8,
wherein said counting section includes:
a receiving portion for accepting the sheets of paper delivered by
said conveying section;
a main conveying passage through which the sheets of paper accepted
by said receiving portion are conveyed one by one;
a counting portion for discriminating between the sheets of paper
conveyed through said main conveying passage into those to be dealt
with and those not to be dealt with and for counting the sheets of
paper to be dealt with; and
a plurality of stack portions for temporarily retaining said sheets
of paper to be dealt with and not to be dealt with separately such
that each type of said sheets of paper is delivered by said
conveying section.
13. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
at least one accommodating section for accommodating sheets of
paper;
a counting section for discriminating between and counting said
sheets of paper and separating said sheets of paper into those to
be dealt with and those not to be dealt with;
a port section through which said sheets of paper are put in and
taken out of said apparatus;
a conveying section for taking out said sheets of paper from said
accommodating section and delivering the same to said counting
section in a discharging transaction, as well as for taking out
said sheets of paper from said port section and delivering the same
to said counting section in a deposit accepting transaction;
and
a control section for controlling said counting section and said
conveying section according to a preset program;
wherein said counting section includes:
a receiving portion for accepting the sheets of paper delivered by
said conveying section;
a main conveying passage through which said sheets of paper
received by said receiving portion are conveyed one by one;
a discriminator for discriminating between the sheets of paper
conveyed through said main conveying passage and for separating the
sheets of paper conveyed on the basis of the discriminating into
those to be dealt with and those not to be dealt with, and for
counting said sheets of paper to be dealt with; and
a plurality of stack portions for temporarily and separately
retaining said sheets of paper to be dealt with and not to be dealt
with such that said sheets of paper to be dealt with and said
sheets of paper not to be dealt with may be separately taken en
bloc from said counting section by said conveying section.
14. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to claim
13, wherein in a discharging transaction:
said counting section is adapted to separate the number of paper
sheets which is specified by a customer from sheets of paper
delivered to said receiving portion from said accommodating
section, retain said specified number of paper sheets on said stack
portion for retaining sheets of paper to be dealt with, and retain
surplus sheets of paper on said stack portion for retaining sheets
of paper not to be dealt with, and
said conveying section is adapted to take out sheets of paper to be
discharged from said stack portion for retaining the notes to be
dealt with and deliver the same to said port section and to take
out said surplus sheets of paper from said stack portion for
retaining the notes not to be dealt with and deliver the same to
said accommodating section.
15. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to claim
13, wherein in a discharging transaction:
said counting section is adapted to sort the number of paper sheets
which is specified by a customer out of sheets of paper delivered
to said receiving portion from said accommodating section and to
temporarily retain the same on said stack portion for retaining the
notes to be dealt with, and to temporarily retain surplus sheets of
paper on said receiving portion, and
said conveying section is adapted to take out sheets of paper to be
discharged from said stack portion for retaining sheets of paper to
be dealt with and deliver the same to port section and to take out
said surplus sheets of paper from said receiving portion and
deliver the same to said accommodating section.
16. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to claim
13, wherein:
in a note depositing transaction said counting section is adapted
to separated sheets of paper delivered to said receiving portion
from said port section into valid sheets of paper and counterfeit
or damaged sheets of paper, to retain said valid sheets of paper on
said stack portion for retaining sheets of paper to be dealt with,
and to retain said counterfeit or damaged sheets of paper on said
stack portion for retaining sheets of paper not to be dealt with,
and said conveying section is adapted to take out the sheets of
paper from said stack portion for retaining the sheets of paper not
to be dealt with and returning the same to said port section and to
take out the sheets of paper from said stack portion for retaining
the sheets of paper to be dealt with and conveying the same to said
accommodating section.
17. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to claim
13, wherein said accommodating section, said counting section, said
port section and said conveying section are separately formed, and
said paper sheets are delivered to each of said sections through
the intermediary of said conveying section.
18. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
port means providing a first terminus permitting customers during a
deposit transaction to put sheets of paper into and during a
dispensing transaction to remove sheets of paper from said
apparatus;
accommodating means including a second terminus, for accommodating
storage of sheets of paper between transaction and for
accommodating passage of sheets of paper at said second terminus
during said transactions;
counting means accessible to sheets of paper from both said port
means and said accommodating means, said counting means
including:
a receiving portion for accepting and temporarily storing both
single sheets of paper and a plurality of sheets of paper from said
port means and said accommodating means;
a counting portion for counting one by one sheets of paper from
said receiving portion; and
a stacking portion for temporarily stacking counted sheets of paper
conveyed from said counting portion;
said counting portion being disposed along a path of travel of said
sheets of paper between said receiving portion and said stacking
portion, with the sheets of paper traversing said counting portion
while traveling between said receiving portion and said stacking
portion; and
transporting means for distributing sheets of paper en bloc among
said first and second termini, and said receiving portion and
stacking portion.
19. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
articulated manipulator means including a body, a pair of fingers
disposed on said body for opening and closing relative to a first
axis, and a first motor disposed on said body for operating said
pair of fingers to open and to close, for grasping and releasing a
bundle of sheets of paper; and
a transfer assembly including:
a table supporting and enabling said body to slide along a second
axis and to rotate about a third axis,
a vertical operating mechanism moving said table vertically along a
fourth axis transverse to said second axis,
a second motor for sliding said body along the second axis,
a third motor for rotating said body about the third axis, and
a fourth motor for moving said table vertically along the fourth
axis.
20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said table
comprises a supporting plate disposed relative to said vertical
operating mechanism to be moved vertically in said fourth
direction, a sliding table disposed rotatably relative to said
supporting plate for slidably holding said body of the manipulator
means, whereby said manipulator means advances forwardly and
retreats along said second axis to grasp, transport and release a
bundle of sheets of paper, and rotates about said third axis to
transport a bundle of sheets of paper.
21. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
a single port through which sheets of paper are put into and taken
out of said apparatus;
accommodating means for accommodating the sheets of paper put into
and to be taken out of said apparatus;
single counting means common to both said port and accommodating
means and including a receiving portion temporarily storing stacks
of sheets of paper prior to counting and plurality of stack
portions each temporarily storing different stacks of sheets of
paper after counting, for counting the sheets of paper put into and
to be taken out of said apparatus and for separating said sheets of
paper between said plurality of stack portions;
transporting means for transporting the sheets of paper en bloc
among said port, said accommodating means, said receiving portion
and said plurality of stack portions; and
a control means for controlling the operation of said counting
means and said transporting means;
wherein the movement of said transporting means is controllable by
said control means to transport the sheets of paper put into and to
be taken out of said apparatus, among said port and said
accommodating means via said counting means.
22. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said transporting
means is controlled to transport the sheets of paper from both said
port and said accommodating means to said counting means.
23. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said control means
controls said transporting means to transport counted sheets of
paper from said counting means to any one of said port means and
said accommodating means.
24. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said control means
controls said transporting means to transport the sheets of paper
from one of said port means and accommodating means to said
counting means to count the sheets of paper, and transports counted
sheets of paper from said counting means to any one of said port
means and said accommodating means.
25. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said control means
controls said transporting means to hand the sheets of paper to
said counting means, to receive counted sheets of paper from said
counting means, and to transport the counted sheets of paper to any
of said port means and said accommodating means.
26. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said control means
controls said transporting means to receive the sheets of paper
from any one of said port means and said accommodating means and to
hand sheets of paper counted in said counting means to one of said
port means and said accommodating means.
27. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said counting means
comprises a counting portion for counting the sheets of paper
one-by-one, said receiving portion accepts the sheets of paper
transported by said transporting means, and said stack portion
temporarily stacks counted sheets of paper conveyed from said
counting portion whereby said counted sheets of paper may be
grasped en bloc by said transporting means at one of said stack
portions and handed by said transporting means to any one of said
port means and accommodating means.
28. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said counting means
includes a belt conveyor for conveying from said receiving portion
the sheets of paper to be counted by said counting portion one by
one.
29. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said accommodating
means has a common port for receiving and dispensing the sheets of
paper, and said counting means has a plurality of different ports
provided by said receiving portion and plurality of stacking
portions for respectively receiving and for dispensing the sheets
of paper.
30. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
port means providing a single orifice through which the sheets of
paper are put in and taken out of said apparatus;
accommodating means for accommodating the sheets of paper both put
in and taken out of said apparatus;
single counting means common to both said port means and said
accommodating means, said counting means including a plurality of
spaced apart, separate locations for storing sheets of paper, for
counting, discriminating between, sorting into stacks on the basis
of said discriminating, and storing said stacks at said separate
locations, the sheets of paper put in and to be taken out of the
apparatus via said orifice;
transporting means for transporting the sheets of paper en bloc
among said orifice, said accommodating means, said counting means
and said plurality of locations; and
control means for controlling the operation of said counting means
and said transporting means;
wherein movement of said transporting means is controllable by said
control means to transport to said accommodating means via said
counting means the sheets of paper put into the port means, and to
transport to said port means via said counting means sheets of
paper stored in said accommodating means including sheets of paper
transported to said accommodating means by said transporting means,
whereby the sheets of paper received by said apparatus from one
customer during one transaction may be dispensed by the apparatus
to another customer during a subsequent transaction.
31. An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said counting means
includes means for discriminating between the sheets of paper
transported by said transporting means and for sorting the sheets
of paper into valid sheets of paper and invalid sheets of
paper.
32. An apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said transporting
means is controlled to transport the valid sheets of paper from one
of said separate locations to said accommodating means whereby the
valid sheets of paper are retained for dispensing.
33. An apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said transporting
means is controlled to transport the valid sheets of paper from
said accommodating means to said counting means and then to said
port means to thereby dispense the valid sheets of paper from said
apparatus via said port means.
34. An apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said counting means
comprises a counter portion to discriminate the sheets of paper
into valid sheets of paper and invalid sheets of paper, a first
stack portion for temporarily stacking the valid sheets of paper,
and a second stack portion for temporarily stacking the invalid
sheets of paper, said transporting means being controlled by said
controlling means to transport the valid sheets of paper from said
first stack portion to said accommodating means.
35. An apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said transporting
means is controlled to transport sheets of paper put into the
apparatus through said port means to said counting means for
discrimination between valid sheets of paper and invalid sheets of
paper.
36. An apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said transporting
means is controlled to transport sheets of paper from said port
means to said counting means for discrimination between sheets of
paper, and to transport valid sheets of paper from one of said
separate locations to said accommodating means.
37. An apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said transporting
means is controlled by said controlling means to transport the
valid sheets of paper from said accommodating means to said
counting means and then to said port means to dispense the valid
sheets of paper from the apparatus.
38. An apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said counting means
comprises a counter portion to discriminate between valid sheets of
paper and invalid sheets of paper, a first stack portion at a first
one of said separate locations for temporarily stacking the valid
sheets of paper, and a second stack portion at a second one of said
separate locations for temporarily stacking the invalid sheets of
paper, said transporting means being controlled by said control
means to transport the valid sheets of paper from said first stack
portion to said accommodating means.
39. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
port means through which the sheets of paper are put into and taken
out of the apparatus;
accommodating means for accommodating sheets of paper both put into
and to be taken out of said apparatus;
single common counting means including a plurality of spaced apart,
separate location for storing sheets of paper, for counting and
sorting each sheet of paper put into and to be taken out of the
apparatus, and for storing at said separate locations a plurality
of different types of sheets of paper sorted by the counting
means;
transporting means for transporting a plurality of sheets of paper
between said counting means, and any one of said port means and
said accommodating means; and
control means for controlling the operation of said counting means
and said transporting means, wherein said transporting means is
controlled by said control means to transport the sheets of paper
put into and to be taken out of said apparatus, between said port
means and said accommodating means through said counting means.
40. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to claim
39, wherein said counting means comprises a conveying passage for
conveying each sheet of paper to be counted, and said transporting
means comprises a robot hand for transporting a plurality of sheets
of paper.
41. An apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said transporting
means comprises:
a hand section for grasping and releasing a plurality of sheets of
paper at any one of said port means, said accommodating means, and
said separate locations; and
a transporting section for transporting said hand section among
said port means, accommodating means and said counting means.
42. An apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said transporting
means comprises:
a first robot hand traveling along a first axis between said port
means and said counting means and traveling along a second axis
obliquely transversing said first axis to grasp and retain the
sheets of paper at said counting means, said separate locations and
said accommodating means; and
a second robot hand traveling along said first axis between said
counting means and said accommodating means and traveling along
said second axis to grasp and retain the sheets of paper at said
counting means, said separate locations and said accommodating
means.
43. An apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said counting means
comprises a counting section for discriminating between sheets of
paper to be dealt with and sheets of paper not to be dealt
with.
44. An apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said counting means
comprises:
a receiving section for accepting a plurality of the sheets of
paper delivered by said transporting means; a belt conveyor through
which the sheets of paper accepted by said receiving section are
conveyed;
discriminating means for providing a basis for sorting the sheets
of paper conveyed through said belt conveyor; and
a stack section including said separate locations, for temporarily
stacking the counted sheets of paper conveyed through said belt
conveyor in stacks at said separate locations;
whereby said transporting means separately transports a plurality
of sheets of paper from different ones of the separate locations in
said stack portions to corresponding ones of said port means and
said accommodating means.
45. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
port means providing a single orifice through which the sheets of
paper are put into and taken out of said apparatus respectively in
deposit and dispensing transactions;
accommodating means for accommodating between the transactions a
pile of the sheets of paper both put into and to be taken out of
said apparatus;
single common counting means for counting during deposit and
dispensing transactions, the sheets of paper put into and to be
taken out of the apparatus;
said counting means including means for discriminating between said
sheets of paper and for sorting said sheets of paper into separate
stacks on the basis of said discriminating;
transporting means for transporting en bloc a plurality of the
sheets of paper among said port means, said accommodating means and
said counting means; and
control means for controlling the operation of said counting means
and said transporting means;
wherein the movement of said transporting means is controllable by
said control means to transport to said accommodating means the
sheets of paper put into said port means via said counting means so
as to put the sheets onto the pile in said accommodating means in a
deposit transaction, and to transport to said port means via said
counting means sheets of paper taken out from an upper portion of
the pile in said accommodating means in a dispensing
transaction.
46. An apparatus according to claim 45, wherein said counting means
is adapted to sort the sheets of paper transported by said
transporting means into a stack of valid sheets of paper and a
stack of invalid sheets of paper.
47. An apparatus according to claim 46, wherein said transporting
means is controlled to transport en bloc stack of valid sheets of
paper from said counting means to said accommodating means whereby
the valid sheets of paper are retained within the apparatus for
dispensing through said port means via said counting means during a
subsequent transaction.
48. An apparatus according to claim 47, wherein said transporting
means is controlled to transport en bloc a stack of the valid
sheets of paper from said accommodating means to said counting
means and then to said port means to thereby dispense the valid
sheets of paper from said apparatus.
49. An apparatus according to claim 46, wherein said transporting
means is controlled to transport en bloc a stack of undiscriminated
sheets of paper put into the apparatus through said port means to
said counting means for discrimination between valid sheets of
paper and invalid sheets of paper.
50. An apparatus according to claim 46, wherein said transporting
means is controlled to transport en bloc a plurality of sheets of
paper from said port means to said counting means for
discrimination between the sheets of paper, and transports en bloc
the stack of the valid sheets of paper from said counting means to
said accommodating means.
51. An apparatus according to claim 46, wherein said counting means
comprises a counter portion to discriminate between valid sheets of
paper and invalid sheets of paper, a first stack portion for
temporarily stacking the valid sheets of paper, and a second stack
portion for temporarily stacking the invalid sheets of paper, said
transporting means being controlled to transport en bloc the valid
sheets of paper from said first stack portion to said accommodating
means.
52. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
port means providing a single orifice through which the sheets of
paper are put into and taken out of said apparatus;
accommodating means for accommodating a pile of the sheets of paper
both put into and to be taken out of said apparatus;
counting means for receiving, counting, making discriminations
between and sorting into separate stacks on the basis of the
discriminations, the sheets of paper put into and to be taken out
of the apparatus;
transporting means including a hand to grasp and release a
plurality of sheets of paper, for transporting en bloc a plurality
of sheets of paper grasped by the hand, between said port means,
said accommodating means and said counting means; and
control means for controlling the operation of said counting means
and said transporting means;
wherein the movement of said transporting means is controllable by
said control means to transport to said accommodating means via
said counting means a plurality of the sheets of paper put into the
apparatus through the orifice so as to release the plurality of
sheets of paper onto the pile in said accommodating means, and to
transport to said port means via said counting means a plurality of
the sheets of paper grasped from an upper portion of the pile in
said accommodating means.
53. An apparatus according to claim 52, wherein said counting means
is adapted to discriminate between the sheets of paper transported
by said transporting means and to divide the sheets of paper into
valid sheets of paper and invalid sheets of paper.
54. An apparatus according to claim 53 wherein said transporting
means is controlled to transport the valid sheets of paper from
said counting means to said accommodating means whereby the valid
sheets of paper are retained for dispensing by the apparatus during
a subsequent transaction.
55. An apparatus according to claim 54, wherein said transporting
means is controlled to transport the valid sheets of paper from
said accommodating means to said counting means and then to said
port means to thereby dispense the valid sheets of paper from said
apparatus.
56. An apparatus according to claim 53, wherein said transporting
means is controlled to transport sheets of paper in through said
port means to said counting means for discrimination between valid
sheets of paper and invalid sheets of paper.
57. An apparatus according to claim 53, wherein said transporting
means is controlled to transport sheets of paper from said port
means to said counting means for discrimination between sheets of
paper, and to transport valid sheets of paper from said counting
means to said accommodating means.
58. An apparatus according to claim 53, wherein said counting means
comprises a counter portion to discriminate between valid sheets of
paper and invalid sheets of paper, a first stack portion for
temporarily stacking the valid sheets of paper, and a second stack
portion for temporarily stacking the invalid sheets of paper, said
transporting means being controlled to transport the valid sheets
of paper from said first stack portion to said accommodating
means.
59. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
port means through which the sheets of paper are put in and taken
out of said apparatus;
accommodating means for accommodating the sheets of paper both put
into and to be taken out of said apparatus;
counting means for counting the sheets of paper put in and to be
taken out;
transporting means including a hand traveling along a first axis
between said port means, said accommodating means and said counting
means, and traveling along a second axis obliquely transversing
said first axis to reach the sheets of paper at said port means,
said accommodating means and said counting means, and moving about
a third axis disposed to obliquely transverse the second axis, for
transporting the sheets of paper between said port means, said
accommodating means and said counting means; and
control means for controlling the operation of said counting means
and the travel of said transporting means between said port means,
accommodating means and counting means;
wherein the movement of said transporting means is controllable by
said control means to transport to said accommodating means via
said counting means the sheets of paper put into the port means,
and to transport to said port means via said counting means sheets
of paper stored in said accommodating means including the sheets of
paper transported to said accommodating means by said transporting
means, whereby sheets of paper received by said apparatus from one
customer during one transaction may by dispensed by the apparatus
to another customer during a subsequent transaction.
60. An apparatus according to claim 59, wherein said counting means
is adapted to discriminate between the sheets of paper transported
by said transporting means and to divide the sheets of paper into
valid sheets of paper and invalid sheets of paper.
61. An apparatus according to claim 60, wherein said transporting
means is controlled to transport the valid sheets of paper from
said counting means to said accommodating means whereby the valid
sheets of paper are retained for dispensing through the port means
via the counting means during a subsequent transaction.
62. An apparatus according to claim 61, wherein said transporting
means is controlled by said controlling means to transport the
valid sheets of paper from said accommodating means to said port
means via said counting means and thereby dispense the valid sheets
of paper from said apparatus.
63. An apparatus according to claim 60, wherein said transporting
means is controlled to transport sheets of paper put in through
said port means to said counting means for discrimination between
valid sheets of paper and invalid sheets of paper.
64. An apparatus according to claim 60, wherein said transporting
means is controlled to transport sheets of paper from said port
means to said counting means for discrimination between sheets of
paper, and to transport valid sheets of paper from said counting
means to said accommodating means.
65. An apparatus according to claim 60, wherein said counting means
comprises a counter portion to discriminate between valid sheets of
paper and invalid sheets of paper, a first stack portion for
temporarily stacking the valid sheets of paper, and a second stack
portion for temporarily stacking the invalid sheets of paper, said
transporting means being controlled by said controlling means to
transport en bloc the valid sheets of paper from said first stack
portion to said accommodating means.
66. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
a port for receiving both single sheets and a plurality of sheets
of paper during a deposit transaction and for discharging both
single sheets and a plurality of sheets of paper during a
dispensing transaction;
a first station for holding a plurality of sheets of paper;
a second station for holding a plurality of sheets of paper;
a third station for holding a plurality of sheets of paper;
a counting station disposed between said first and second stations
and between said first and third stations, for counting and for
performing discriminations between sheets of paper received from
said first station, and for dividing the sheets of paper between
the second and third stations on the basis of the
discriminations;
a fourth station for storing sheets of the paper between the
transactions;
means for transporting en bloc the sheets of paper among said port,
first station, second station, third station and fourth station;
and
control means for controlling said transporting means to hand the
sheets of paper to said first station from either one of said port
and said fourth station and to separately received counted sheets
of paper from either one of said second and third stations and
further for controlling to transport said counted sheets of paper
from either one of said second and third stations to either one of
said port and said fourth station.
67. An apparatus according to claim 66, wherein said counting
station comprises a receiving portion disposed adjacent the first
station for receiving the sheets of paper, a counting portion for
counting each of the sheets of paper, and a releasing portion for
releasing to the second and third stations the sheets of paper
counted by said counting portion, whereby the sheets of paper are
handed to said first station by said transporting means and the
counted sheets of paper are separately taken en bloc from said
second station and third station by said transporting means.
68. An apparatus according to claim 67, wherein said receiving
portion, and said first, second and third stations are arranged on
the same side of said counting means.
69. An apparatus according to claim 67, wherein said first, second,
third and fourth station are arranged along a path of travel of
said transporting means.
70. An apparatus according to claim 67, wherein said first, second
and third stations are arranged along a path of travel of said
transporting means between said port and fourth station.
71. An apparatus according to claim 67, wherein said control means
positions said transporting means at a home position facing said
counting station prior to a first phase of a dispensing
transaction.
72. An apparatus according to claim 67, wherein said control means
directs said transporting means to travel directly from a rest
position to an intermediate position facing said counting station
during a first phase of a dispensing transaction.
73. An apparatus according to claim 66, wherein said transporting
means comprises a first carrier transporting exclusively the sheets
of paper between said port and said first station, and a second
carrier transporting exclusively the sheets of paper between said
third station and said fourth station.
74. An apparatus according to claim 73, wherein said first carrier
comprises a first robot hand traveling along a first axis between
said port and said first station and traveling along a second axis
obliquely transversing said first axis to grasp and retain the
sheets of paper at said port and said first station; and
said second carrier comprises a second robot hand traveling along
said first axis between said third and said fourth station and
traveling along said second axis to grasp and retain the sheets of
paper at said third station and said fourth station.
75. An apparatus according to claim 73, wherein the first carrier
comprises a first robot hand traveling between said port and said
first station to grasp and retain en bloc the sheets of paper at
said port and said first station; and
said second carrier comprises a second robot hand traveling between
said third station and said fourth station to grasp and retain en
bloc the sheets of paper at said third station and said fourth
station.
76. An apparatus according to claim 66, wherein said first, second,
third and fourth stations are disposed along a path of travel of
said transporting means.
77. An apparatus according to claim 76, wherein said first, second,
third and fourth stations are disposed vertically along the path of
travel of said transporting means, whereby said transporting means
travels vertically to transport the sheets of paper en bloc along
said path.
78. An apparatus according to claim 66, wherein each of said port
and fourth stations has a single common orifice for receiving and
dispensing the sheets of paper.
79. An apparatus according to claim 66, wherein said transporting
means has two moving paths, at least one of said port and said
stations is disposed on the opposite side of one of said paths from
the other of said port and said stations and said transporting
means moves along said second moving path to transport the sheets
of paper between said port and said stations.
80. An apparatus according to claim 66, wherein said transporting
means is controlled to be at a home position facing said port prior
to a first phase of a deposit transaction.
81. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
port means providing a single orifice at a first station through
which the sheets of paper are put into the apparatus during a
deposit transaction and taken out of said apparatus during a
dispensing transaction;
accommodating means located at a second station for accommodating
storage of sheets of paper both put into and to be taken out of
said apparatus;
counting means formed independently of said accommodating means and
including a third station receiving and storing stacks of sheets of
paper to be counted and a plurality of spaced apart other stations
separately receiving and storing stacks of sheets of paper, for
counting both sheets of paper put into and to be taken out of the
apparatus, for performing discriminations between sheets of paper,
and for dividing the sheets of paper between the other stations on
the basis of the discriminations into sheets of paper to be dealt
with and sheets of paper not to be dealt with;
transporting means defining a path of travel between said first,
second, third and plurality of other stations, for transporting en
bloc sheets of paper in both directions between said accommodating
means and said counting means; and
control means for controlling the operation of said counting means
to divide the sheets of paper during a deposit transaction with
sheets of paper not to be dealt with going to a first one of said
other stations closest along the path of travel to said first
station, and to divide the sheets of paper during a dispensing
transaction with sheets of paper to be dealt with going to said
first one of said other stations, and controlling said transporting
means during a deposit transaction to transport en bloc between
said counting means and said accommodating means sheets of paper to
be dealt with and during a dispensing transaction to transport en
bloc between said accommodating means and said third station sheets
of paper to be counted.
82. An apparatus according to claim 81, wherein said transporting
means is controlled to transport to said accommodating means sheets
of paper counted in said counting means and to transport to said
counting means sheets of paper stored in said accommodating means
including the sheets of paper transported to said accommodating
means by said transporting means, whereby the sheets of paper
received by said apparatus from one customer during one transaction
may be dispensed by the apparatus to another customer during a
subsequent transaction.,
83. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
port means through which sheets of paper are put into and taken out
of said apparatus;
accommodating means formed separately of said port means as a
discrete element for accommodating the sheets of paper both put
into and taken out of said apparatus;
single counting means formed as a discrete element separate from
said accommodating means, for cooperating with both said port means
and said accommodating means by counting the sheets of paper put
into and to be taken out from the apparatus;
transporting means formed separately from said port means,
accommodating means and counting means for cooperating with said
port means, accommodating means and counting means by transporting
the sheets of paper along a path among said port means, said
accommodating means and said counting means; and
control means for controlling the operation of said counting means
and said transporting means;
wherein said port means, accommodating means and counting means are
disposed along the path of said transporting means.
84. An apparatus according to claim 83, wherein said port means,
accommodating means and counting means are disposed vertically
along the path of travel of said transporting means whereby said
transporting means travels vertically while transporting the sheets
of paper.
85. An apparatus according to claim 83, wherein said counting means
comprises a receiving portion for receiving the sheets of paper, a
counting portion for counting each of the sheets of paper, and a
releasing portion for releasing counted sheets of paper conveyed
from said counting portion, said receiving, counting and releasing
portions being disposed along a path of travel of said transporting
means.
86. An apparatus according to claim 85, wherein said receiving
portion, counting portion and releasing portion are disposed
vertically along the path of travel of said transporting means,
whereby said transporting means travels vertically while
transporting the sheets of paper.
87. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
a first station through which the sheets of paper are put into and
taken out of said apparatus;
a second station for accommodating the sheets of paper both put
into and to be taken out of said apparatus;
counting station for counting the sheets of paper put into and to
be taken out of said apparatus;
transporting means for transporting the sheets of paper along a
path of travel among said first station, said second station and
said counting station; and
control means for controlling the operation of said counting
station and transporting means;
wherein said transporting means, said control means and each
station is independently formed, and one of said first station and
counting station is disposed on the same side of said path of
travel as said second station.
88. An apparatus according to claim 87, wherein one of said first
station and counting station is located on the opposite side of
said path of travel from said second station.
89. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
a first station providing a single port through which sheets of
paper may be put into the apparatus by a customer and dispensed by
the apparatus to a customer;
a second station for accommodating storage of the sheets of paper
both put into and to be taken out of said apparatus;
a counting station for counting, making discriminations between and
sorting on the basis of said discriminations the sheets of paper
put into and to be dispensed by said apparatus;
transporting means for transporting the sheets of paper en bloc
along a path of travel among said first station, said second
station and said counting station; and
control means for controlling the operation of said counting
station and transporting means;
said first station, second station, counting station, said
transporting means and said control means being formed as separate
units constructed independently, and one of said first station and
counting station being disposed on the same side of said
transporting means as said second station.
90. An apparatus according to claim 89, wherein one of said first
station and counting station is located on the opposite side of
said path of travel from said second station.
91. An apparatus according to claim 89, wherein said first station
and said counting station are spaced apart by a predetermined gap
with said transporting means disposed within said gap between said
first station and said counting station, said transporting means
providing the only means for transporting sheets of paper between
all of said first station, second station and counting station.
92. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
port means through which sheets of paper are handled;
accommodating means for accommodating the sheets of paper handled
and to be handled;
counting means independently formed from said accommodating means,
for counting the sheets of paper handled and to be handled;
transporting means for transporting the sheets of paper en bloc
between said accommodating means, said port means and said counting
means; and
control means for controlling the operation of said counting means
and said transporting means.
93. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
port means through which sheets of paper are put into and taken out
of said apparatus;
accommodating means for accommodating the sheets of paper put into
and to be taken out of said apparatus;
single counting means common to both said port means and
accommodating means for counting and discriminating between the
sheets of paper put into and to be taken out of said apparatus;
transporting means for transporting the sheets of paper en bloc
between said port means and said single counting means; and
control means for controlling the operation of said counting means
and said transporting means.
94. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
port means through which sheets of paper are handled;
single accommodating means for accommodating the sheets of paper
handled and to be handled;
single counting means common to both said port means and said
single accommodating means for counting the sheets of paper handled
and to be handled;
transporting means for transporting the sheets of paper en bloc
between said single accommodating means, and said single counting
means; and
control means for controlling the operation of said single counting
means and said transporting means.
95. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
port means through which sheets of paper are put into and taken out
of said apparatus;
single accommodating means for accommodating the sheets of paper
put into and to be taken out of said apparatus;
single counting means common to both said port means and
accommodating means for counting and discriminating between the
sheets of paper put into and to be taken out of said apparatus;
transporting means for transporting the sheets of paper en bloc
among said port means, said accommodating means, and said counting
means; and
control means for controlling the operation of said counting means
and said transporting means;
wherein the movement of said transporting means is controllable by
said control means to transport the sheets of paper put into and to
be taken out of said apparatus, among said port means and said
accommodating means via said counting means.
96. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
port means through which sheets of paper are handled;
accommodating means for accommodating the sheets of paper handled
and to be handled;
counting means independently formed from said accommodating means
and including a receiving portion temporarily storing a stack of
sheets of paper prior to counting and a stack portion temporarily
storing stacks of sheets of paper after counting, for counting and
discriminating between the sheets of paper handled and to be
handled;
transporting means for transporting the sheets of paper en bloc
among said accommodating means, said receiving portion and said
stack portion; and
control means for controlling the operation of said counting means
and said transporting means.
97. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
port means through which sheets of paper are put into and taken out
of said apparatus;
accommodating means for accommodating the sheets of paper put into
and to be taken out of said apparatus;
counting means common to both said port means and accommodating
means and including a receiving portion temporarily storing a stack
of sheets of paper prior to counting and a stack portion
temporarily storing stacks of sheets of paper after counting, for
counting the sheets of paper put into and to be taken out of said
apparatus;
transporting means for transporting the sheets of paper en bloc
among said port means, said accommodating means, said receiving
portion and said stack portion; and
control means for controlling the operation of said transporting
means;
wherein the movement of said transporting means is controllable by
said control means to transport the sheets of paper put into and to
be taken out of said apparatus, among said port means and said
accommodating means via said counting means.
98. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
port means through which sheets of paper are put into and taken out
of said apparatus;
accommodating means for accommodating the sheets of paper into and
to be taken out of said apparatus;
single counting means common to both said port means and
accommodating means and including a receiving portion temporarily
storing a stack of sheets of paper prior to counting and a stack
portion temporarily storing a stack of sheets of paper after
counting, for counting and discriminating the sheets of paper put
into and to be taken out of said apparatus;
transporting means for transporting the sheets of paper en bloc
among said port, said accommodating means, said receiving portion
and said stack portion; and
control means for controlling the operation of said counting means
and said transporting means.
99. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
port means through which sheets of paper are put into and taken out
of said apparatus;
accommodating means for accommodating the sheets of paper put into
and to be taken out of said apparatus;
counting means common to both said port means and accommodating
means and including a receiving portion temporarily storing a stack
of sheets of paper prior to counting and a stack portion
temporarily storing a stack of sheets of paper after counting, for
counting the sheets of paper put into and to be taken out of said
apparatus;
transporting means for transporting the sheets of paper en bloc
among said port means, said accommodating means, said receiving
portion and said stack portion; and
control means for controlling the operation of said transporting
means;
wherein the movement of said transporting means is controllable by
said control means to transport the sheets of paper put into and to
be taken out of said apparatus, from said port means to said
receiving portion of said counting means and from said stack
portion of said counting means to said port means,
respectively.
100. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
port means through which sheets of paper are put into and taken out
of said apparatus;
accommodating means for accommodating the sheets of paper put into
and to be taken out of said apparatus;
counting means common to both said port means and accommodating
means, for counting the sheets of paper put into and to be taken
out of said apparatus;
transporting means for transporting the sheets of paper en bloc
among said port means, said accommodating means, said counting
means; and
control means for controlling the operation of said counting means
and said transporting means;
said transporting means being controlled by said control means to
move among said port means, said accommodating means and said
counting means to transport the sheets of paper, and to approach
said port means, said accommodating means and said counting means
to hand and receive the sheets of paper.
101. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
port means through which sheets of paper are put into and taken out
of said apparatus;
accommodating means for accommodating the sheets of paper put into
and to be taken out of said apparatus;
counting means common to both said port means and accommodating
means for counting the sheets of paper put into and to be taken out
of said apparatus;
transporting means for transporting the sheets of paper en bloc
among said port means, said accommodating means, said counting
means; and
control means for controlling the operation of said counting means
and said transporting means;
said port means, said accommodating means and said counting means
being aligned vertically along the path of travel of said
transporting means.
102. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
port means through which sheets of paper are put into and taken out
of said apparatus;
accommodating means for accommodating the sheets of paper put into
and to be taken out of said apparatus;
counting means common to both said port means and accommodating
means for counting the sheets of paper put into and to be taken out
of said apparatus;
transporting means for transporting the sheets of paper en bloc
among said port means, said accommodating means, and said counting
means; and
control means for controlling the operation of said counting means
and said transporting means;
said port means, said accommodating means and said counting means
being aligned vertically along the path of travel of said
transporting means, said transporting means being controlled by
said control means to transport the sheets of paper put into said
port means to said accommodating means, and the sheets of paper to
be taken out from said accommodating means to said port means via
said counting means.
103. A manipulator for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
a body with a pair of fingers disposed on said body for opening and
closing relative to a first axis, and a first actuator disposed on
said body for operating said pair of fingers to open and to close,
for grasping and releasing a plurality of sheets of paper; and
a transfer assembly including:
a table supporting and enabling said body to slide along a second
axis and to rotate about a third axis,
a vertical operating mechanism moving said table vertically along a
fourth axis transverse to said second axis,
a second actuator for sliding said body along the second axis,
a third actuator for rotating said body about the third axis,
and
a fourth actuator for moving said table vertically along the fourth
axis.
104. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
port means through which sheets of paper are put into and taken out
of said apparatus;
accommodating means for accommodating the sheets of paper put into
and to be taken out of said apparatus;
single counting means common to both said port means and
accommodating means and including a receiving portion temporarily
storing a stack of sheets of paper prior to counting and a stack
portion temporarily storing stacks of sheets of paper after
counting, for counting the sheets of paper put into and to be taken
out of said apparatus;
transporting means for transporting the sheets of paper en bloc
among said port means, said accommodating means, said receiving
portion and said stack portion; and control means for controlling
the operation of said counting means and said transporting
means;
wherein the movement of said transporting means is controllable by
said control means to transport the sheets of paper put into and to
be taken out of said apparatus, among said port means and said
accommodating means via said counting means.
105. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
an accommodating section for accommodating sheets of paper between
discharging transactions;
a counting section for discriminating between and counting said
sheets of paper and for dividing said sheets of paper between those
to be dealt with and those not to be dealt with during discharging
transactions;
a port section through which said sheets of paper are taken out of
said apparatus during discharging transactions;
a transporting section for taking out said sheets of paper from
said accommodating section and delivering the same to said counting
section in a discharging transaction, and for during a discharging
transaction, transporting en bloc said sheets of paper to be dealt
with from said counting section to said port section;
a control section for controlling said counting section and said
transporting section according to a predetermined program;
wherein said transporting section includes a hand portion for
grasping and releasing en bloc said sheets of paper at
predetermined positions relative to said sections, and a
transferring portion for transferring said hand portion to the
predetermined positions, said hand portion taking out en bloc in
the discharging transaction a suitable number of said sheets of
paper from said accommodating section.
106. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
a single port providing a first terminus permitting customers
during a deposit transaction to put sheets of paper into and during
a dispensing transaction to remove sheets of paper from said
apparatus;
accommodating means including a second terminus, for accommodating
storage of sheets of paper between transactions and for
accommodating passage of sheets of paper at said second terminus
during said transactions;
single counting means accessible to sheets of paper from both said
port and said accommodating means and providing a third terminus
receiving and storing sheets of paper and other termini storing
sheets of paper, for counting, discriminating between sheets of
paper and dividing said sheets of paper among said other termini on
the basis of said discriminating into sheets of paper to be dealt
with and sheets of paper not to be dealt with; and
transporting means for distributing sheets of paper en bloc among
said port, accommodating means and counting means during both
deposit and dispensing transactions, said second, third and other
termini being arranged in a vertical row along a path of travel by
said transporting means to enable said conveying means to obtain
sheets of paper at said termini and to distribute sheets of paper
en bloc among said accommodating means and counting means as said
transporting means travels along the path;
wherein said transporting means moves sheets of paper between said
port and said accommodating means via said counting means and
between said accommodating means and said port via counting means
according to the type of transaction.
107. A method for handling sheets of paper in apparatus with port
means, counting means, accommodating means for accommodating sheets
of paper, and transporting means movable therebetween for
transporting sheets of paper, comprising the steps of:
(1) transporting en bloc sheets of paper to said counting means by
means of said transporting means;
(2) counting and discriminating between the sheets of paper
transported in step (1); and
(3) transporting en bloc the sheets of paper subjected to the
counting and discriminating step (2) to either of said port means
and said accommodating means by means of said transporting
means.
108. A method for handling sheets of paper in apparatus with port
means, counting means, accommodating means for accommodating sheets
of paper, and transporting means movable therebetween for
transporting sheets of paper, comprising the steps of:
(1) taking out en bloc the sheets of paper from a predetermined one
of said port means and said accommodating means and transporting
the sheets of paper taken out to said counting means by means of
said transporting means;
(2) counting and discriminating between the sheets of paper taken
out in the step (1) by means of said counting means; and
(3) transporting en bloc the sheets of paper subjects to the
counting and discriminating step (2) to a predetermined one of said
accommodating means and said port means by means of said
transporting means.
109. A method for handling sheets of paper in apparatus with port
means, counting means, accommodating means for accommodating sheets
of paper, and transporting means movable therebetween for
transporting sheets of paper, comprising the steps of:
(1) taking out en bloc the sheets of paper from said port means and
transporting en bloc the sheets of paper taken out to said counting
means by means of said transporting means;
(2) counting and discriminating the sheets of paper taken out and
transported in the step (1); and
(3) transporting en bloc the sheets of paper subjected to the
counting and discriminating step (2) from said counting means to
said accommodating means by means of said transporting means.
110. A method for handling sheets of paper in apparatus with port
means, counting means, accommodating means for accommodating sheets
of paper and transporting means movable therebetween for
transporting sheets of paper, comprising the steps of:
(1) taking out en bloc the sheets of paper from said accommodating
means and transporting en bloc the sheets of paper taken out to
said counting means by means of said transporting means;
(2) counting and discriminating between the sheets of paper taken
out and transported in the step (1); and
(3) transporting en bloc the sheets of paper subjected to the
counting and discriminating step (2) from said counting means to
said port means by means of said transporting means.
111. A method for handling sheets of paper in apparatus with port
means, accommodating means for accommodating sheets of paper,
counting means having at least first, second and third storing
positions, and transporting means movable therebetween for
transporting sheets of paper, comprising the steps of:
(1) taking out en bloc sheets of paper from a predetermined one of
said port means and said accommodating means and transporting the
sheets of paper taken out to said counting means by means of said
transporting means;
(2) storing the sheets of paper taken out and transported in the
step (1) temporarily at said first storing position;
(3) counting and discriminating between the sheets of paper stored
in the step (2) to be conveyed to a predetermined one of said
second and third storing positions on the basis of said
discriminating by means of said counting means;
(4) moving said transporting means to a predetermined one of said
second and third storing positions during step (3); and
(5) taking en bloc the sheets of paper at the predetermined one of
said storing positions and transporting them to a predetermined one
of said accommodating means and said port means by means of said
transporting means.
112. A method for handling sheets of paper in apparatus with port
means, accommodating means for accommodating sheets of paper,
counting means having at least first, second and third storing
positions, and transporting means movable therebetween for
transporting sheets of paper, comprising the steps of:
(1) taking out en bloc sheets of paper from said accommodating
means and transporting the sheets of paper taken out to said
counting means by means of said transporting means;
(2) storing the sheets of paper taken out in the step (1)
temporarily at said first storing position;
(3) counting the sheets of paper stored in the step (2) to be
conveyed to a predetermined one of said second and third storing
positions on the basis of said counting by means of said counting
means;
(4) moving said transporting means to a predetermined one of said
second and third storing positions during step (3); and
(5) taking en bloc the sheets of paper at said predetermined one of
said storing positions and transporting them to said port means by
means of said transporting means.
113. A method for handling sheets of paper in apparatus with port
means, accommodating means for accommodating sheets of paper,
counting means having first, second and third storing positions,
and transporting means movable therebetween for transporting sheets
of paper, comprising the steps of:
(1) taking out en bloc sheets of paper from said port means and
transporting the sheets of paper taken out to said counting means
by means of said transporting means;
(2) storing the sheets of paper taken out in the step (1)
temporarily at said first storing position;
(3) counting and discriminating between the sheets of paper stored
in the step (2) to be conveyed to said second and third storing
positions on the basis of said discriminating by means of said
counting means;
(4) moving said transporting means to a predetermined one of said
second and third storing positions during step (3); and
(5) taking and transporting en bloc the sheets of paper stored at
said predetermined one of said storing positions to said
accommodating means by means of said transporting means.
114. A method for handling sheets of paper in apparatus with port
means, accommodating means for accommodating sheets of paper,
counting means having first, second and third storing positions,
and transporting means movable therebetween for transporting sheets
of paper, comprising the steps of:
(1) taking out en bloc uncounted sheets of paper from a
predetermined one of said port means and said accommodating means
and transporting the sheets of paper taken out to said counting
means by means of said transporting means;
(2) storing the sheets of paper taken out in the step (1)
temporarily at said first storing position;
(3) counting and discriminating between the sheets of paper stored
in the step (2) to be conveyed to a predetermined one of said
second and third storing positions on the basis of said
discriminating by means of said counting means;
(4) moving said transporting means to a predetermined one of said
second and third storing positions during step (3); and
(5) taking and transporting en bloc the counted and discriminated
sheets of paper at a predetermined one of said storing positions to
a predetermined one of said accommodating means and said port means
by means of said transporting means.
115. A method for handling sheets of paper in apparatus with port
means, counting means, accommodating means for accommodating sheets
of paper, and transporting means movable therebetween for
transporting sheets of paper, comprising the steps of:
(1) taking out en bloc uncounted and undiscriminated sheets of
paper from said port means by means of said transporting means;
(2) transporting en bloc the sheets of paper taken out in the step
(1) to said counting means;
(3) counting and discriminating between the sheets of paper
transported in the step (2); and
(4) transporting en bloc the sheets of paper counted and
discriminated in the step (3) from said counting means to said
accommodating means by means of said transporting means.
116. A method for handling sheets of paper in apparatus with pot
means, counting means, accommodating means for accommodating sheets
of paper, and transporting means movable therebetween for
transporting sheets of paper, comprising the steps of:
(1) taking out en bloc uncounted sheets of paper from said
accommodating means by means of said transporting means;
(2) transporting en bloc the sheets of paper taken out in the step
(1) to said counting means;
(3) counting and discriminating between the sheets of paper
transported in the step (2); and
(4) transporting en bloc the sheets of paper subjected to the
counting and discriminating step (3) from said counting means to
said port means by means of said transporting means.
117. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
a single port providing a first terminus permitting customers
during a deposit transaction to put sheets of paper into and during
a dispensing transaction to remove sheets of paper from said
apparatus;
accommodating means including a second terminus, for accommodating
storage of sheets of paper between transactions and for
accommodating passage of sheets of paper at said second terminus
during said transactions;
single counting means accessible to sheets of paper from both said
port and said accommodating means and providing a third terminus
receiving and storing sheets of paper and other termini storing
sheets of paper, for counting, discriminating between sheets of
paper and dividing said sheets of paper among said other termini on
the basis of said discriminating into sheets of paper to be dealt
with and sheets of paper not to be dealt with, during both deposit
and dispensing transactions; and conveying means for distributing
sheets of paper en bloc among said port, accommodating means and
counting means during both deposit and dispensing transactions,
said first, second, third and other termini being arranged along a
path of travel by said conveying means to enable conveying means to
obtain sheets of paper at said termini and to distribute sheets of
paper en bloc among said accommodating means and counting means as
said conveying means travels along the path;
wherein said conveying means moves sheets of paper between said
port and said accommodating means via said counting means and
between said accommodating means and said port via said counting
means according to the type of transaction.
118. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
port means providing a single orifice through which the sheets of
paper are put in and taken out of said apparatus;
accommodating means for accommodating the sheets of paper both put
in and taken out of said apparatus;
single counting means common to both said port means and said
accommodating means, said counting means including a plurality of
spaced apart, separate locations for storing sheets of paper, for
counting, discriminating between, sorting into stacks on the basis
of said discriminating, and storing said stacks at said separate
locations, the sheets of paper put in and to be taken out of the
apparatus via said orifice;
transporting means for transporting the sheets of paper both singly
and en bloc among said orifice, said accommodating means, said
counting means and said plurality of locations; and
control means for controlling the operation of said counting means
and said transporting means;
wherein movement of said transporting means is controllable by said
control means to transport to said accommodating means via said
counting means the sheets of paper put into the port means, and to
transport to said port means via said counting means sheets of
paper stored in said accommodating means including sheets of paper
transported to said accommodating means by said transporting means,
whereby the sheets of paper received by said apparatus during one
transaction may be dispensed by the apparatus during a subsequent
transaction.
119. An apparatus for handling sheets of paper, comprising:
first port means through which the sheets of paper are put into and
taken out of the apparatus;
accommodating means for accommodating sheets of paper both put into
and to be taken out of said apparatus;
single common counting means including a plurality of spaced apart,
separate locations for storing sheets of paper, for counting and
sorting each sheet of paper put into and to be taken out of the
apparatus, and for storing at said separate locations a plurality
of different types of sheets of paper sorted by the counting
means;
transporting means for transporting a plurality of sheets of paper
between said first port means, and any one of said accommodating
means, said counting means and said separate locations; and
control means for controlling the operation of said counting means
and said transporting means, wherein said transporting means is
controlled by said control means to transport the sheets of paper
put into and to be taken out of said apparatus, between said port
means and said accommodating means through said counting means,
said transporting means comprising a first robot hand traveling
between said port means and said counting means to grasp and retain
the sheets of paper at said counting means and said accommodating
means; and
a second robot hand traveling between said counting means and said
accommodating means to grasp and retain the sheets of paper at said
counting means and said accommodating means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for handling sheets
of paper, and more particularly, to an apparatus for handling
sheets of paper which is suitable for use in automated cash
handling transactions involving depositing and drawing out bank
notes.
FIG. 1 shows a known apparatus of this type. In the apparatus shown
in FIG. 1, bank notes are taken out of an apparatus 30 (paid out)
from a port section 36 in the following manner. The notes
accommodated in cassettes 31, 32 are separated and counted at
separating/accumulating sections 37, 38. The notes are then carried
to the port section 36 one by one while being held by a belt 33
without being checked at a checking section 35. The notes are
received from the port section (accepted as a deposit) in the
following manner. The notes to be deposited which are placed at the
port 36 are separated at a separating section 39, checked and
counted at the checking section 35 while being held by the belt 33,
and are accumulated in the cassettes 31, 32 by the
separating/accumulating sections 37, 38.
In the apparatus described above, a large number of conveying
routes need to be provided in a fixed manner by employing the belts
33 and rollers 34 between components including the cassettes 31,
32, the checking section 35 and the port section 36 in order to
deliver the sheets of paper among these components. This increases
the production cost of the conveying routes. Since these conveying
routes are fixed, it is difficult to change their courses when
modifying the specifications of the apparatus or expanding the
functions thereof. In a case of changing them, much time and
trouble are required to adjust the conveying routes. The papers are
carried one by one in the apparatus, so that it takes much time to
carry a large number of papers. This also increases the risk of
paper being jammed at an intermediate point along the conveying
routes. The apparatus uses separate paper separating/counting
devices when the notes are deposited and drawn out. This increases
the number of components and makes the mechanism complicated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for handling
sheets of paper which is so improved as to have a simple structure
by having separately formed units for each component.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for
handling sheets of paper which allows for easy modification of
specifications and expansion of functions.
An additional object of the invention is to provide an apparatus
for handling sheets of paper which enables the paper conveying time
to be reduced and the occurrence of paper jam in conveying routes
to be reduced.
An apparatus for handling sheets of paper according to the present
invention comprises a port section through which sheets of paper
are discharged or accepted in the apparatus, a counting section for
counting and checking the sheets of paper, an accommodating section
for accommodating the sheets of paper, and a conveying device for
transferring the sheets of paper between these plural components,
wherein each of these components is made as a separately formed
unit, and the conveying device is moved to any of the plural
components while holding the sheets of paper.
In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus for handling sheets of
paper includes at least an accommodating section for accommodating
the sheets of paper, a counting section for discriminating and
counting the sheets of paper and sorting the sheets of paper into
those to be dealt with and those not to be dealt with, a port
section through which the sheets of paper are taken out or put in,
a conveying device for delivering the sheets of paper to and from
each of the components when the sheets of paper are discharged, and
a control section for controlling the conveying device, the port
section and the counting section in accordance with a predetermined
program. The conveying device has a hand section which grasps and
releases the sheets of paper at a predetermined position relative
to each component, and a transferring section for transferring the
hand section to the predetermined position of each component. The
hand section is adapted to take out en bloc a predetermined and
suitable number of paper sheets in the accommodating section in a
transaction involving the discharge of paper sheets.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the hand section is
adapted to take out the paper sheets in the accommodating section
in a number which is more than the maximum dischargeable number, in
a number which is more than the average discharging number in one
discharge, or in a number which is more than the number specified
by a customer in a transaction involving the discharge of sheets of
paper.
According to the present invention, the components are formed into
separate units and constructed independently. This makes the
structure of the apparatus simpler, while improving the quality
thereof. Moreover, it is economical.
The operation of the conveying device is not fixed but is
controlled by a controlling program, ensuring that modification of
the specifications of the apparatus and expansion of the function
scan be effected more freely.
The sheets of paper are transferred among the components en bloc.
Therefore, only one transferring operation is required. The
conveying device travels while it holds the sheets of paper.
Therefore, the processing time is reduced, and the number of jams
occurring during conveyance can be remarkably reduced.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a known example;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of an apparatus
for handling sheets of paper according to the present invention,
which is applied to automated cash handling transactions;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a counting section;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the counting section;
FIG. 5(a) and 5(b) are perspective views of a conveying section
while FIG. 5(c) is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of
a conveying section;
FIG. 6 shows in an explanatory way the operation of a hand which
takes out sheets of paper from an accommodating section in a
transaction involving the discharge of sheets of paper;
FIG. 7 shows in an explanatory way the operation of the hand which
carries the sheets of paper to a port section in a transaction
involving the discharge of sheets of paper;
FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the operation performed for a
transaction;
FIG. 9 shows in an explanatory way the situation when the operation
of the conveying device is started;
FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the operation of the apparatus, showing a
second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the operation of the apparatus, showing a
third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 12 is a flowchart of the operation of the apparatus, showing a
fourth embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 13 and 14 respectively show the processes of a paying
operation performed by the apparatus shown in FIG. 12;
FIGS. 15 and 16 respectively show the processes of a deposit
accepting operation conducted by the apparatus shown in FIG.
12;
FIG. 17 is a flowchart of the operation of the apparatus shown in
FIG. 12;
FIG. 18 shows how a note dispensing apparatus constructed in
accordance with the present invention functions when it receives
the money; and
FIG. 19 shows how the note dispensing apparatus constructed in
accordance with the present invention functions when it pays out
money.
FIG. 20 shows an apparatus for handling sheets of paper according
to another embodiment of the present invention that includes two
hand sections.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described
hereinunder with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4.
An apparatus for automatically conducting cash handling
transactions of the first embodiment accepts one type of note (ten
thousand yen notes, for example), and comprises an accommodating
mechanism 1 for notes (accommodating section), a counting mechanism
2 (counting section), a port mechanism 3 (port section), a
conveying device 4 (conveying section) and a control section 5.
A reader/writer of identification cards or magnetic cards which act
as the media for a transaction, or keys operated by a customer
(both not shown), are disposed above these components.
In the apparatus, the counting mechanism 2 is disposed above the
note accommodating mechanism 1 and the control section 5, such that
the counting mechanism 2 is stacked thereon, while these components
are spaced apart from the port mechanism 3 by a predetermined
interval L.
The conveying device 4 is disposed in the gap between the counting
mechanism 2 and the port mechanism 3, so that it may deliver sheets
of paper among each of those components 1, 2 and 3.
The accommodating mechanism 1 includes an upper half cashbox 1a and
a lower half cashbox 1b, both accommodating notes to be used in a
transaction involving the discharge of notes by having the notes
stacked vertically. The cashboxes 1a and 1b respectively have a
port 11 through which the notes are taken out of and put in the
cashbox 1a and a retrieving port 12 through which those notes which
are for some reason retrieved are received in the cashbox 1b. The
accommodating mechanism 1 is provided at the rear of a supporting
table 6.
The counting mechanism 2 is adapted, in the case of a paying
transaction, to check the notes to be discharged, count them out to
a number specified by a customer, and sort them into those to be
dealt with and those not to be dealt with. In an accepting
transaction, the counting mechanism 2 is adapted to check and count
the notes deposited and separate them into valid and counterfeit
notes.
More specifically, the counting mechanism 2, as shown in FIGS. 3
and 4, includes a receiving section 21 for accepting the notes
inside the counting mechanism 2, the receiving section 21 having a
table or station 21a and a feed roller 21b; a main conveying
passage 22a for carrying the received notes; conveying passages
22b, 22c provided at the exit side of the main conveying passage
22a and which are for conveying notes to be dealt with and those
not to be dealt with, respectively, in a discharging transaction; a
discriminator 23 for discriminating between notes to be dealt with
and those not be dealt with and for counting the notes to be dealt
with, the discriminator 23 being provided in the main conveying
passage 22a; a gate 24 for sending the notes to the conveying
passage 22b or conveying passage 22c, the gate 24 being provided
between the main conveying passage 22a and the conveying passages
22b, 22c; stack sections or stations 25a, 25b for temporarily
retaining the notes fed through the conveying passages 22b and 22c,
respectively; a plurality of sensors 26a to 26d; and a case 27 for
housing these components at their determined positions. It is to be
noted that in a deposit accepting transaction the conveying
passages 22b, 22c convey the notes not to be dealt with and those
to be dealt with, respectively, and that the stack sections 25a,
25b are used accordingly.
The receiving section 21 and individual stack sections 25a, 25b are
respectively disposed one above the other on the same side of the
case 27, i.e., on the front side thereof.
In the counting mechanism 2, the notes which are placed on the
table 21a of the receiving section 21 in a discharge transaction
are detected by the sensor 26a, and are separately moved in the
main conveying passage 22a one by one by means of the rotation of
the feed roller 21b. The notes are then conveyed through the main
conveying passage 22a. When they pass through the discriminator 23,
the discriminator 23 differentiates notes to be dealt with from
those not to be dealt with by determining whether the passing notes
are valid or not and by detecting the extent to which each note is
soiled. The gate 24 opens the passage to either conveying passage
22b or 22c when the sensor 26b detects the presence of the note
discriminated, so that the notes to be dealt with and those not to
be dealt with are appropriately introduced to the conveying
passages 22b and 22c, respectively. Thus, the notes to be dealt
with are then conveyed through the conveying passage 22b, and are
detected by the sensor 26c so that a specified number of notes are
retained on the stack section 25a. The notes not to be dealt with
are conveyed through the conveying passage 22c, and are detected by
the sensor 26d so that they are retained on the stack section 25b.
If notes still remain on the table 21a when the specified number of
notes are prepared on the stack section 25a, the remaining notes
are sent to the stack section 25b through the main conveying
passage 22a and the conveying passage 22c.
The port mechanism 3 has a port 3a through which the notes are
taken out, and is disposed at the upper and front portion of the
supporting table 6 in such a manner as to face the counting
mechanism 2.
In the counting mechanism 2, the deposited notes which are placed
on the table 21a of the receiving section 21 after being deposited
by a customer in an accepting transaction are detected by the
sensor 26a, and are accepted into the main conveying passage 22a
one by one by means of the rotation of the feed roller 21b. The
notes are then conveyed through the main conveying passage 22a.
When they pass through the discriminator 23, the discriminator 23
differentiates notes to be dealt with from those not to be dealt
with by determining whether the passing note is valid or not and by
detecting the extent to which each note is soiled. The gate 24
opens the passage to either conveying passage 22b or 22c when the
sensor 26b detects the presence of the discriminated note, so that
the counterfeit or damaged notes, i.e., notes to be returned to the
customer, and the valid notes, i.e., the notes to be received, are
introduced to the conveyng passages 22b and 22c, respectively. The
notes to be returned are conveyed through the conveying passage
22b, and are detected by the sensor 26c so that they are piled on
the stack section 25a. The notes to be accepted are conveyed
through the conveying passage 22c, and are detected by the sensor
26d so that they are piled on the stack section 25b.
The conveying device 4 is disposed on the supporting table 6
between the port mechanism 3 and the counting mechanism 2 and at
the front of the accommodating mechanism 1, so as to distribute the
notes among the port mechanism 3, counting mechanism 2 and
accommodating mechanism 1. For that purpose, the conveying device 4
has, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, a hand section 41 for grasping and
releasing the notes and a transferring section 42 for transferring
the hand section 41 to any of a number of predetermined positions
relative to the mechanisms 1, 2 and 3.
The hand section 41 shown in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) has a body 411
having a solenoid 412 for opening and closing fingers, and the body
411 is provided with a pair of fingers 413, 414 which open and
close by means of the magnetic force of the solenoid 412 in the
direction shown by the arrow D. The pair of fingers 413, 414 grasps
the notes on being closed and releases the notes when opened.
The transferring section 42 has: a pair of screw shafts 421
provided vertically between the port mechanism 3 and counting
mechanism 2/accommodating mechanism 1; a vertical motor 422
connected to the lower portion of each screw shaft 421; a
supporting plate 423 threaded with each screw shaft 421, the
supporting plate having a rotating motor 424; a sliding table 428
having a gear 426 provided at each side thereof which is threaded
with a gear 425 mounted on the rotating shaft of the rotating motor
424, a central axis of the gear 426 being supported by the
supporting plate 423, the sliding table 428 further having a
horizontal motor 427 provided on the upper surface thereof; a
pinion 429 mounted on the rotating shaft of the horizontal motor
427 and engaging with a rack 425 mounted on the body 411 of the
hand section 41; and a retaining portion (not shown) for retaining
the hand section 41 on the sliding table 428 in the state wherein
the pinion 429 and the rack 415 are engaged with each other.
When the vertical motors 422 are driven so as to rotate the screw
shafts 421, the supporting plates 423 and the sliding table 428 are
moved in the direction shown by the arrow A, so that the hand
section 41 is transferred in the same direction A. When the
rotating motors 424 are driven and the gears 425 are rotated, the
gears 426 engaging with the gears 425 are rotated around the gears
425 and the sliding table 428 is rotated around the rotating shaft
of the rotating motor 424 in the direction shown by the arrow C, so
that the hand section 41 is rotated in the same direction C. When
the horizontal motor 427 is driven so as to rotate the pinion 429,
the body 411 of the hand section is transferred by the rack 415
engaging with the pinion 429 in the direction shown by the arrow B,
so that the hand section 41 is moved in the same direction B.
In the transferring device 4, when a discharging transaction is
conducted, the hand section 41 takes out the notes in the
accommodating mechanism 1, and is transferred to the counting
mechanism 2 by the transferring section 42 so as to deliver the
notes to the receiving section 21 of the counting mechanism 2. The
hand section 41 then grasps from the stack section 25a those notes
which were determined by the counting mechanism 2 to be notes to be
dealt with, and is transferred to the port mechanism 3 by the
transferring section 42 such as to deliver the notes to the port
3a. Subsequently, the hand section 41 grasps in the stack portion
25b the notes which were determined by the counting mechanism 2 to
be notes not to be dealt with, and is transferred to the
accommodating mechanism 1 by the transferring section 42 so as to
deposit the notes not to be dealt with in the cashbox 1a of the
accommodating mechanism 1.
For these purposes, the table 21a of the receiving section 21 is
provided with a notch 21c so that the hand section 41 can hand over
the notes, as shown in FIG. 2. Also, the stack portions 25a, 25b
are provided with notches 25'a, 25'b, respectively, so that the
hand section 41 can grasp the notes retained thereon. The port 12
of the accommodating mechanism 1 has a size large enough to enable
the hand section 41 to enter and to grasp and release the notes
therein.
In the transferring mechanism 4, when a deposit accepting
transaction is conducted, the hand section 41 takes out the notes
in the port mechanism 3, and is transferred to the counting
mechanism 2 by the transferring section 42 so as to deliver the
notes to the receiving section 21 of the counting mechanism 2. The
hand section then grasps in the stack portion 25a those notes which
were determined by the counting mechanism 2 to be notes to be
returned to the customer, and is transferred to the port mechanism
3 by the transferring section 42 so as to return the notes to the
port 3a. Subsequently, the hand section 41 grasps the notes in the
stack portion 25b which were determined by the counting mechanism 2
to be notes to be accepted, and is transferred to the accommodating
mechanism 1 by the transferring section 42 so as to deliver the
notes to the cashbox 1b of the accommodating mechanism 1.
The hand section 41 may alternatively be in the form of a tray 41',
as shown in FIG. 5(c).
The control section 5 controls the transferring device 4,
accommodating mechanism 1, counting mechanism 2, and port mechanism
3 according to the programs set for each type of transaction. The
control section 5 therefore is provided with a memory (not shown)
for storing these operation sequences and a microcomputer for
reading and performing the operation sequences. The control section
5 is disposed on the supporting table 6 at the rear of the
accommodating mechanism 3.
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 7 designates a power source.
Thus, in a discharging transaction, the hand section 41 of the
conveying device is adapted to grasp and take out en bloc in the
accommodating mechanism 1 a suitable number of notes. More
specifically, the hand section 41 is adapted to grasp en bloc in
the accommodating mechanism 1 a number of notes which is slightly
more than the maximum dischargeable number which a customer can
draw out in one operation from the apparatus. The gap between the
pair of fingers 413, 414 of the hand section 41 is therefore preset
so that the fingers can grasp in the accommodating mechanism 1 a
number of notes which is slightly more than the maximum
dischargeable number.
The operation involving the discharging transaction conducted by
this embodiment of the apparatus for automatically conducting cash
handling transactions will be described hereinunder with reference
to FIGS. 6 to 8.
The hand section 41 of the conveying device 4 is at a position at
the initial stage where it faces the receiving section 21 of the
counting mechanism 2, as shown in FIG. 6.
When a customer operates a discharging transaction and specifies
the amount of cash to be paid from the operating section, the hand
section 41 moves downward to the position facing the port 11 of the
cashbox 1a of the accommodating mechanism 1 immediately, as shown
by the arrow E of FIG. 6, and then moves forward into the port 11,
as shown by the arrow F of FIG. 6, such as to grasp and take out a
suitable number of notes en bloc from the upper portion of the pile
of notes in the cashbox 1a.
At this time, the hand section 41 grasps the notes in a number
which is slightly larger than the maximum dischargeable number
allowed in one transaction, i.e., in a number which is always
larger than the number specified by the customer.
After grasping the notes en bloc in the manner described above, the
hand section 41 retreats in the direction shown by the arrow G of
FIG. 6 so as to take out the notes from the accommodating mechanism
1 (S1 of FIG. 8). The hand section 41 then moves upward in the
direction shown by the arrow H, stops temporarily at a position
where it faces the receiving section 21 of the counting mechanism
2, and moves forward such as to place the bundle of notes on the
table 21a of the receiving section 21 (S2 of FIG. 8). The notes
placed are accepted into the counting mechanism 2 by the rotation
of the feed roller 21b (FIG. 3) of the receiving section 21, and
are discriminated and counted by means of the discriminator 23,
gate 24 and sensor 26c (S3). At this time, it is judged whether the
number of notes has reached the number which is specified by the
customer (S4). If not, the notes to be dealt with continue to be
passed through the conveying passage 22b and piled on the stack
portion 25a until the specified number is reached. When it is
determined that the number has been reached, counting is stopped,
and the notes exceeding the amount to be paid are conveyed to and
piled on the stack section 25b as notes not to be dealt with.
The hand section 41 which has been positioned at the receiving
section 21 then moves upward toward the stack section 25a, moves
forward to the stack section 25a such as to grasp the notes piled
on the stack section 25a (S5 of FIG. 8), and rotates by 180.degree.
in the direction shown by the arrow K of FIG. 7, so that it
releases the notes at the port 3a of the port mechanism 3. The
notes discharged in this manner can be pulled out by the
customer.
Thereafter, the hand section 41 rotates in the direction opposite
to that shown by the arrow K, moves downward in the direction shown
by the arrow L to the stack section 25b such as to grasp the bundle
of notes piled on the stack section 25b. The hand section 41 then
moves further downward as shown by the arrow M, enters the port 11
of the cashbox 1a, and releases the held notes onto the pile of
notes in the cashbox 1a (S7).
The hand section 41 of the conveying device 4 then returns to its
initial position (original position) and stops (S8).
As will be clear from the foregoing description, in the apparatus
of this embodiment, the port mechanism 3, counting mechanism 2 and
accommodating mechanism 1 are formed as separate units and the
notes are distributed among those components 1 to 3 by the
conveying device 4. In consequence, the structure of the
accommodating mechanism 1 can be made simpler and the number of
parts thereof can be decreased, compared with the known apparatus
in which the accommodating mechanism has note accepting and
discharging functions. Moreover, since the respective components 1
to 4 are separately formed, the method of assembling these
components can be improved.
In the conveying device 4, the notes are gripped and conveyed by
the hand section 41, thus requiring no belts. Therefore, it is
possible to eliminate the fluctuations of carrying speed which
would occur in the prior art when the length of the belt was
changed. This therefore enables an adequate control of the
conveying device 4.
The notes in the accommodating mechanism 1 are grasped by the hand
section 41 in a number which is more than the maximum dischargeable
number. Therefore, only one operation is necessary. This also
enables the conveying time of notes in the transaction to be
remarkably reduced, allowing the speeding up of the payment to the
customer.
The hand section 41 may be instructed to start moving towards the
accommodating mechanism 1, as shown in FIG. 9, at the point when
the customer specifies the paying transaction, although the
starting time may be slightly changed depending on the carrying
distance and moving speed (starting point 1). The hand section 41
may be instructed to have already begun taking out notes at the
point when the amount to be paid is specified by the customer
(starting point 2). This allows the discharging time to be further
reduced.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the operation conducted by the apparatus
of a second embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus of
this embodiment is different from that of the first embodiment in
that in a discharging transaction the notes in the accommodating
mechanism 1 are taken out en bloc by the hand section 41 in a
number which is more than the average discharged number. The
average discharged number in this case means the average number of
notes which are drawn out by the customers in a discharge
transaction at the site where the apparatus is installed.
In consequence, the amount of money specified by the customer could
exceed the average amount, i.e., the number of notes which are
taken out en bloc by the hand section 41 from the accommodating
mechanism 1. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10, if it is judged in S4
that the number of notes which have been sorted to be dealt with by
the counting mechanism 2 have not reached the amount specified by
the custsomer, the processing goes to S9 in which it is determined
if notes still remain in the receiving section 21 of the counting
mechanism 2. If the answer is Yes, the processing returns to S3. If
No, the processing goes back to S1.
In this embodiment, if the amount specified by the customer exceeds
that of the average discharged number, another bundle of notes is
taken out from the accommodating mechanism 1 by the hand section 41
of the conveying device 4. However, the number of notes taken by
the hand section 41 is an average one, and in most of the
transactions only one operation is necessary. Further, the number
of notes taken out by the hand section 41 is smaller than that of
the first embodiment but not too small, and this ensures that the
hand section 41 grasps the notes accurately.
In this embodiment, like the first embodiment, since the operation
of the hand section 41 (which removes the notes) can be commenced
at starting point 1 of FIG. 9, the note discharging time can be
reduced.
FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the operation of the third embodiment of
the present invention. The apparatus of this embodiment is
different from the foregong two embodiments in that the notes are
taken out from the accommodating mechanism 1 en bloc by the hand
section 41 of the conveying device 4 in a number which is slightly
larger than the one specified by the customer. In consequence, when
the hand section 41 grasps the notes in the accommodating mechanism
1, the number of notes to be grasped is modified according to the
amount to be paid (S10). The gap between the fingers 413, 414 of
the hand section 41 is then adjusted accordingly.
Thus, in this embodiment, only one operation of the hand section 41
is necessary, when the hand section 41 takes out the notes from the
accommodating mechanism 1. Further, the number of notes to be
returned to the accommodating mechanism 1 can be reduced. Further,
after the counting mechanism 2 has sorted notes to the number
specified by the customer, the number of notes not to be dealt with
which are carried to the stack section 25b can be reduced, thereby
reducing the processing time thereof.
A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described
hereinunder with reference to FIGS. 12 to 14.
In each of the foregoing embodiments, when it is determined at S4
in the flowchart that the number to be discharged has been reached,
counting is suspended at S5, while the notes exeeding the amount to
be paid are conveyed to the stack section 25b as the notes not to
be dealt with. In this embodiment, however, if the answer is Yes in
S4, the counting and the conveyance are suspended at S5'. In
consequence, the surplus notes, if any, remain in the receiving
section 21 after the number to be discharged has been reached.
These surplus notes in the receiving section 21 are then returned
to the accommodating mechanism 1 in S6'.
The operation of the apparatus of this embodiment will be described
below referring to FIGS. 13 and 14. Referring first to FIG. 13,
when the specified number has been reached by the counting
mechanism 2, the conveyance of the notes is stopped.
Thereafter, the hand section 41 moves upward from the receiving
section 21 toward the stack section 25a, moves forward to the stack
section 25a, and grasps the pile of notes on the stack section 25a
(S5' of FIG. 12). The hand section 41 then rotates by 180.degree.
in the direction shown by the arrow K in FIG. 13, so that it
delivers the notes to the port 3a of the port mechanism 3 and
releases the notes.
The hand section 41 then rotates in the direction opposite to that
shown by the arrow K, moves downward as shown by the arrow L, and
grasps the bundle of notes piled on the receiving section 21, as
shown in FIG. 14. The hand section 41 then moves further downward
as shown by the arrow M, enters the port 11 of the cashbox 1a, and
releases the notes onto the pile of notes in the cashbox 1a
(S7).
The hand section 41 of the conveying device 4 returns to its
initial position (original position) and stops there (S8).
As will be understood from the foregoing description, when the
specified number has been reached in this embodiment, conveyance of
the notes exceeding the amount to be paid is suspended, i.e., it is
not necessary to convey the surplus notes to the stack section 25b,
as is the case in the foregoing embodiments. This enables the
processing time to be reduced.
The operation of a deposit accepting transaction will be described
below with reference to FIGS. 15 to 17. As in the paying
transaction, the hand section 41 is at a position in its initial
stage where it faces the receiving section 21 of the counting
mechanism 2. When the customer specifies the depositing transaction
as well as the amount to be deposited, the hand section 41 moves to
and waits at the port mechanism 3, as shown in FIG. 15. The hand
section 41 then grasps the bundle of notes deposited in this
portion, turns over, as shown by the arrow N, moves downward, and
delivers the notes to the receiving section 21 of the counting
mechanism 2 (S102).
The notes which have been carried to the counting mechanism 2 are
accepted one by one as the feed roller 21b rotates so that they are
sorted and counted (S103). The notes are then conveyed selectively
to the stack sections 25a and 25b. Assume that valid notes are
conveyed to the stack section 25b, while the counterfeit or damaged
notes are sent to the stack section 25a. The hand section 41 grasps
the bundle of notes on the stack section 25a and returns them to
the port mechanism 3, as shown by the arrow P of FIG. 16 (S104). At
this point, the amount of the valid notes is displayed to the
customer, and the customer's approval of the displayed amount is
requested. The notes returned in the above-described manner may be
redeposited at port mechanism 3 for a second trial. If the returned
notes are not redeposited, the customer instructs from the
operating section whether he approves the transaction with the
amount displayed or cancels it.
If the transaction is approved, i.e., if the answer is Yes in S105,
S106 is then executed in which the hand section 41 grasps en bloc
the valid notes at the stack section 25b, moves backward, moves
downward in the direction shown by the arrow Q, moves forward to
the accommodating mechanism 1, enters the port 11 of the cashbox
1a, and releases the notes onto the pile of notes in the
cashbox.
The hand section 41 then returns to its initial position (original
position) and stops thereat (S107).
If the transaction is cancelled by the customer in S105, i.e., if
the answer at S105 is No, then S108 is executed in which the valid
notes at the stack section 25b are returned to the port mechanism
3, and the transaction is thereby ended.
The above-described embodiment uses only one hand section 41.
However, according to another embodiment of the present invention,
two or more hand sections may be employed. FIG. 20 shows an
embodiment wherein two hand sections 41 and 41' are used. One hand
section, 41 for example, may be adapted to take care of the
conveyance of notes between the port mechanism 3 and the counting
mechanism 2, while the other hand section 41' may be adapted to
carry notes between the counting mechanism 2 and the accommodating
mechanism 1. In this way the processing time can be further
reduced.
FIG. 18 shows the operational sequences of a deposit accepting
transaction, while FIG. 19 shows those of a paying transaction. As
seen from these diagrams, the cashbox 1, counting section 2,
conveying section 4 and port section 3 are used in both types of
transactions, thereby enabling the entire construction to be
simpler and the production cost to be lower.
* * * * *